Dungeness Historic Homes Tour

Visit the Old Dungeness School House on June 18, 2011.

When driving to Sequim from the Hood Canal Bridge, one travels through dense forests, past newly-planted clear cuts, and along Discovery and Sequim bays. After leaving Sequim Bay behind, one travels around a bend in the road and then suddenly the land opens up. Sequim stretches out from the foothills of the Olympic Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The journey isn’t far, but it’s easy to imagine how long it must have seemed for people traveling overland before the advent of automobiles. The gently rolling prairie of Sequim must have seemed like a safe haven and the end of the journey. People accustomed to the heavy rains of the Pacific Northwest must have been happily amazed by Sequim’s sunny weather. It is no wonder people settled there.

The S’Klallam tribe had long lived in the open lands of Dungeness. White settlers moved to Sequim in the 1850s – the first “white” wedding in Clallam County dates from 1856 – and by 1868 there were enough children on the prairie to merit a school. Since then, the town has grown to about 6,000 people in the city limits.

The history of Sequim may not be immediately apparent to visitors, for in the past decades, new development has mushroomed. Yet here and there, historic buildings have been preserved. A good time to see them is during the Dungeness Historic Homes Tour on June 18th, 2011.

The Dungeness Historic Homes Tour is a self-driving tour of the following:

Dungeness Schoolhouse

Groveland Cottage

Cline House and Barn

Eberle Barn

Wheeler-Cays Barn (now a home)

Dungeness Pioneer Cemetery

Though transportation is not provided, guided tours of each site are provided. For more information and tickets, please visit the Dungeness Historic Homes Tour.

After the tour, take advantage of something that wasn’t here in the 19th century – Olympic Peninsula Washington Wines. Wine tasting is offered at several Olympic Peninsula wineries in nearby Port Angeles:

Olympic Cellars

Harbinger Winery

Camaraderie Cellars

Black Diamond Winery

Or take the long road home and swing by Port Townsend. Four Washington Wineries and Cideries in and around Port Townsend offer wine and cider tasting:

Eaglemount Wine & Cider

Sorensen Cellars

FairWinds Winery

Finnriver Farm & Cidery

Sipping hand-crafted Olympic Peninsula wine and cider is the perfect way to conclude a day of touring historic homes in Sequim.

Port Townsend Kitchen Tour

The kitchen has long been the heart of the home. People are drawn to the warmth of the kitchen and sustained by the meals that emerge from it. For many, the kitchen is the embodiment of the word “home”. Perhaps that’s why it’s so interesting to see other peoples’ kitchens.

The 14th annual Port Townsend Kitchen Tour takes place Saturday, April 30, 2011. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., participants may tour eight different kitchens in Port Townsend’s historic Downtown and Uptown. This is a unique opportunity to peek into some of the homes you’ve most admired in Port Townsend.

Some of the kitchens are in historic homes, updated to meet the needs of our time. Others are in new homes, and reflect current trends in design. If you’ve been considering a kitchen remodel, the Port Townsend Kitchen Tour is a fantastic opportunity to see a variety of kitchen designs, cabinetry, counter tops, and more. Plus it’s fun.

There may be no better activity after a day of kitchen touring than Washington State Wine tasting. Sorenson Cellars and FairWinds Winery are located in Port Townsend; both offer wine tasting on the weekends. Two more tasting opportunities are just outside of town in beautiful Chimacum: Finnriver Farm & Cidery and Eaglemount Wine & Cider.

Local Washington State Wines and Ciders are also available at The Wine Seller, on Water Street in Port Townsend.

Please visit Port Townsend Kitchen Tour for additional detail.